Clone Trooper (Revenge Of The Sith) - TLC - Saga Legends (SL 27)

Name: Clone Trooper (Revenge Of The Sith)Collection: The Legacy CollectionNumber: SL 27Source: Revenge Of The SithAvailability: January 2009License: Hasbro

Equipped for all terrains and environments, the genetically engineered clone troopers combat the relentless droid army. Clone troopers are identical in form, physical prowess, stamina and mental capacity. These super-warriors are led into battle by the Jedi, who serve as generals during the Clone Wars.

By the time the 2005 Revenge Of The Sith (plain white) super-articulated Clone Trooper hit, fans went berserk. It nicely complemented the super-articulated 2003 CW Clone Trooper (’03 #50) figure that was released a few years earlier. This sculpt made its rounds multiple times, perhaps most notoriously in the OTC line as Entertainment Earth’s Clone Trooper multipack exclusives. It was an awesome figure right from the start and proof of that exists in the fact that it so far it has aged gracefully. A seemingly timeless sculpt is always a good thing when action figures are concerned. And although the possibility exists that Hasbro will continue to make upgrades or altogether new figures, it’s still nice to know that the older sculpts are holding up extremely well throughout the years. When Hasbro creates a hit-it-out-of-the-park action figure, it’s a solid bet that the figure will be around for years to come and that collectors will see frequent reissues of it. That’s exactly what became of the 2005 ROTS Clone Trooper (III 41) figure, which has changed its name a bit when it entered the Saga Legends lineup in 2007. Fans can now welcome the newly named Clone Trooper (Revenge Of The Sith) into the Saga Legends assortment once again under The Legacy Collection banner. This is the figure's second offering with the "pure white" paint job. And it destined to make a splash once again in the basic figure line.

For the 2007 Saga Legends release, Hasbro opted for an all-white clone trooper excluding any battle-damage type of markings. It is this same version utilized for The Legacy Collection Saga Legends branding as well. The Clone Trooper is striking when it is this clean, but we wonder how many fans will ultimately be happy with a figure that is this pristine in approach. Many will consider clean troopers as right out of training, but the Clone Wars were downright dirty. We need some dirt on these figures. The figure still has an awesome 23 points of articulation, most of which feature ball-jointed articulation. The joints at the hip don’t move as well as you will like probably (just like the original figure) thanks to the oddly shaped armor that is sticking out inhibiting full movement. But it is possible to pose him regardless. The Clone Trooper also still comes with that annoying and bulky antenna. Most toss it to the side anyway as it is more cumbersome than it’s worth. It looks terribly out of scale and proportion to the figure. The figure also comes with the standard DC-15 blaster rifle and it fits in his hands very well. You can even have him hold the blaster with two hands. Hasbro took great care to ensure that the visor and other details on the helmet were cleanly painted on the figure. You necessarily will not find perfection on every figure, but overall these figures have been completed very nicely. We have noticed bolder lines and cleaner applications when compared to the 2007 version.

Running, standing, kneeling, crouching. With a little patience, this Clone Trooper (Revenge Of The Sith) figure can really do it all. It’s really no wonder this figure has already been used so many times all over the place in the toy line to date. The Saga Collection product line appears to have used this sculpt most often. Hasbro has utilized it to bring us some great figures like the Shock Troopers in the Skirmish In The Senate TARGET exclusive Battle Packs set. They also used this sculpt for 2006’s TSC Clone Trooper (SAGA 026) (also known as the Utapau Clone Trooper) in addition to the 501st Legion Trooper from the 2007 30 (77-07) Saga Legends line. We don’t expect this pattern to slow any time soon. While the Clone Trooper (Revenge Of The Sith) figure is based on a character that was barely seen in Star Wars Episode III: Revenge Of The Sith, these characters are indeed in the film serving as background characters. It was the battalion specific clones that were front and center. Expect this figure to be a mainstay in the Saga Legends line as long as the line is active. It’s a great figure and we bet it’s an even better figure for customizers to go to town on with their brilliant creations. And since this figure is technically new, you should get a few to help round out your army building needs. This is a great generic clone trooper to own. But with anything great there is often a downside. Quite a few collectors are feeling that it is “enough is enough” with the constant repacking of the same figures over and over again.